Positive action rear fold traveler curtain rig



0st. 1, 1963 w. P. NOLAN POSITIVE ACTION REAR FOLD TRAVELER CURTAIN RIG Filed Jan. 25, 1962 1 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,105,543 PQSITIVE ACTION REAR FOLD TRAVELER CURTAIN RIG William P. Nolan, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to Nolan Scenery Studios, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 168,153 3 Claims. (Cl. 160-346) In structures now in use for moving and folding theater curtains there are rear fold attachments fastened to each carrier and snub-locked on the operating cable to keep all carriers equally spaced until they move off-stage. However, structures of the type described sometimes permit premature locking of the rear fold clip attachment which results in random buuching of the curtain during closing. It also happens that the lack of positive connection between carriers permits an uneven carry oif of the curtain during curtain opening which is unsightly and otherwise undesirable.

The object of my invention is to provide a positive action rear fold traveler curtain rig including means for preventing premature locking of the rear fold clip attachment.

Another object is to provide, in a rig as noted above, a positive connection between carriers for holding the rear fold clip attachment in the locked position during curtain opening thus ensuring full carry off of all carriers.

A further object of my invention is to provide a mechanism whereby the above and other objects may effectively be attained as will appear from the following detailed specification of my invention.

FIG. 1 represents a front view, partially broken away, of my invention as applied to a rear fold traveler curtain rig (the curtain not being shown) the parts being shown in the positions assumed when a folded curtain is being unfolded toward the right of the drawing by tensioning the flexible line, or cable, the track being represented by the dotted outline of same.

FIG. 2 represents 'a front view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 when the tension on the flexible cable has been continued for an appreciable period to extend the curtain Supports toward the right, the parts being shown in the positions they assume as the tension on said cable is continued.

FIG. 3 represents a section taken on line 33 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and,

FIG. 4 represents, in perspective, the clip attachmnt for frictionally engaging the flexible line or cable as tension is applied thereto.

Broadly, my invention comprises a rear fold curtain including means for positively completing the folding operation and maintaining the curtain in its folded condition until it is urged toward its unfolded condition.

Referring to the accompanying drawing in which the parts are given the same numerals in the several figures, a track is denoted by 1 and same is adapted to carry pairs of rollers thereon designated as 2, 2a, 3, 3a, 4, 4a, 5, 5a, 6, 6a and 7, 7a. Supported between the pairs of rollers 2, and 2a, 3 and 3:: as shown in FIG. 1 is a rear carrier 8, so called, assuming that the curtain is folded towards the left (referring to FIG. 1). All pairs of rollers are similar in construction to 7 and 7a, shown in FIG. 3.

Between rollers 4 and 4a, and 5 and 5a, are hung intermediate carriers indicated by 9 and 10, while the so called leading edge carrier 11 is supported between the pairs of rollers 6, 6a and 7, 7a. It will be noted that the carriers 8, 9, 10 and 11 are provided with hollow enlarged portions 12, 13, 14 and 15 which are of a size to accommodate a line, rope, or cable, designated by 16, it being understood that same are of flexible nature and adapted "ice to be led through said enlarged portions so as to be freely slidable therethrough.

As shown in FIG. 1, similar primary clip attachments 17 and 24 are so located as to frictionally engage the cable led therethrough depending upon the direction in which the cable is pulled to open or close the curtain, and further, depending upon the extent to which the curtain has been folded or unfolded.

It will be noted the interconnected pairs of yokes 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 are in operative relationship with carriers 8, 9, 10, 11. This relationship is such that motion imparted to attachments 17 and/or 24 by cable 16 is transferred to said carriers and interconnected yokes, as 17 and 24 become frictionally engaged with cable 16. (See 17 in FIG. 1.) Interconnecting the elements 24 and 8 are the links denoted collectively by 25, and curtain supporting links are denoted by 26 and also by 28, 30 and 32. The links denoted collectively by 27 connect elements 22 and 23; the links 29 connect the elements 20 and 21 and the links 31 connect the elements 18 and 19. It is also clear that the links 33 connect the leading clip attachment 17 to the leading edge carrier 11.

An important feature of my invention comprises the magnets 34, 35, 36 and 37 which are afiixed to and carried by the elements 8, 9, 10 and 11 respectively. The function of these magnets is to engage and hold in a vertical position the elements or secondary clips 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 and 43 pivoted on and carried by the yokes 18 through 23 inclusive so that, as the curtain is rear folded the said elements will assume a vertical dependent position with respect to the track 1 and the curtain will be rear folded symmetrically. The function of the magnets is also to insure an even and positive folding by maintaining the secondary clips in vertical dependent position until each is successively activated by the tension applied to the cable 16 to unfold the curtain.

It will be noted from an inspection of FIG. 2, which illustrates the curtain supports in their unfolding operation, being moved toward the right as viewed in FIG. 1, that the positive linkage between the respective elements insures that the curtain will be unfolded or drawn from its folded position in regular sequence and without bunching since the vertical position of the parts 38 through 43 inclusive is initially maintained by the operation of the magnets 34, 35, 36 and 37 described above upon the said clips 38 through 43, inclusive, which engage cable 16 as shown in FIG. 2 and positively interconnect the several curtain supports or carriers denoted by 8, 9, 10 and 11.

It will be understood that the number of curtain supports and carriers may be increased or varied as desired to accommodate the length and weight of the curtain being supported and operated thereby. Also, the several carriers may be interconnected according to my invention to insure correct operation thereof when actuated as by cable 16, or other suitable device.

It will also be noted that the primary clips 17, 24, and the secondary clips 38 through 43 are permitted to operatively engage cable 16, or become disengaged therefrom, only in proper sequence due to the mechanical linkage of elements and the action of magnets 34, 35, 36, 37, whereby the desired folding or unfolding of a curtain may be perfectly accomplished by the control of its supporting and actuating elements with respect to cable 16.

Since it is obvious that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, I do not intend to be limited to the particular embodiment herein shown and described except as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a rear fold traveler curtain rig the combination comprising; a track, a plurality of rollers in engagement with said track, a plurality of curtain supporting elements supported from said rollers, flexible drive means passing freely through said elements, clip means on each of said elements adapted to frictionally engage said flexible drive means whereby said elements will be driven therewith, flexible means interconnecting the clip means of adjacent curtain supporting elements, and magnetic means on said elements for releasably holding said clip means out of frictional engagement With said drive means and in position for sequential actuation when tension is applied to said flexible means, whereby the curtain supporting elements are actuated only in desired sequence to fold or unfold a curtain.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein each curtain supporting element is carried by two rollers, and the flexible drive means comprises a cable running parallel to said track.

3. Li a rear fold traveler curtain rig the combination comprising; a track, a plurality of rollers in engagement With said track, movable curtain supporting means carried by said rollers, said means comprising a rear carrier, a

leading edge carrier, and at least one intermediate carrier, a curtain support on each of said carriers, flexible drive means passed through each of said carriers, primary clip means connected to each of said rear and leading edge carriers on the sides thereof remote from said intermediate carriers and each adapted to frictionally grip said drive means in one direction of movement, secondary clip means connected to each side of said intermediate carriers and to the other sides of each of said rear and leading edge carriers and adapted to frictionally grip said flexible drive means, flexible means interconnecting said secondary clip means on said carriers with each other, and magnetic means on said carriers for releasably holding said secondary clip means out of frictional engagement with said drive means and in position for sequential actuation when tension is applied to said flexible means, whereby the curtain supports are actuated only in desired sequence to fold or unfold a curtain.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,201,804 Volland May 21, 1940 

1. IN A REAR FOLD TRAVELER CURTAIN RIG THE COMBINATION COMPRISING; A TRACK, A PLURALITY OF ROLLERS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID TRACK, A PLURALITY OF CURTAIN SUPPORTING ELEMENTS SUPPORTED FROM SAID ROLLERS, FLEXIBLE DRIVE MEANS PASSING FREELY THROUGH SAID ELEMENTS, CLIP MEANS ON EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS ADAPTED TO FRICTIONALLY ENGAGE SAID FLEXIBLE DRIVE MEANS WHEREBY SAID ELEMENTS WILL BE DRIVEN THEREWITH, FLEXIBLE MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE CLIP MEANS OF ADJACENT CURTAIN SUPPORTING ELEMENTS, AND MAGNETIC MEANS ON SAID ELEMENTS FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING SAID CLIP MEANS OUT OF FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID DRIVE MEANS AND IN POSITION FOR SEQUENTIAL ACTUATION WHEN TENSION IS APPLIED TO SAID FLEXIBLE MEANS, WHEREBY THE CURTAIN SUPPORTING ELEMENTS ARE ACTUATED ONLY IN DESIRED SEQUENCE TO FOLD OR UNFOLD A CURTAIN. 